Fish filleting and skinning boards

ABSTRACT

A portable fish dressing table, folding for compactness and providing an internal compartment for storage of required dressing equipment such as a knife, whetstone, skewers or other implements. When opened, the sections flatly abutt to form a dressing table on which fish of variable lengths may be attached at both ends to facilitate filleting and dressing operations; also a table on which to work in skinning, scaling, cutting up or other dressing operations. When so opened flatly, a variety of means are provided to secure the board, itself, to different work surfaces where it will be used, such as suction cups to attach to kitchen drain boards or tables and storable spikes to affix in the ground at camp sites or to lock over laundry tubs of variable widths.

United States Patent n91 Holladay l l Jan; 30, 1973 [54] FISH FILLETING AND SKINNING BOARDS I I Primary Examiner-Lucie H. 'Laudenslager [76] Inventor: Forrest E. Holladay, v ,-l4 314 I I Shadywood Dr., Plymouth, Mich. [571 ABSTRACT 48170 v v Y A portable fish dressing table, folding for compactness and providing an internal compartment for storage of [221' Filed 1970 required dressing equipment such as a knife, whet- [2l] Appl.No.: 62,512 stone, skewers or other implements When opened, the sections flatly abutt to form a dressing table on which fish of variable lengths may be attached at both UIS I a v I I s.- I s s I s 1 I s s v [5 C c a table On which to work in i g, g c g [58] Field of Search ..l7/70 up or other dressing operations when so opened flatly, a variety ofmeans are provided to secure the [56] References cued board, itself, to different work surfaces where it will be used, such as suction cups to attach to kitchen UNITEP STATES PATENTS drain boards or tables and storable spikes to affix in 1,438,091 12/1922 Bowe ..l7/7O ,the ground at camp sites or to lock over laundry tubs R24,l94 8/l956 Thornton i ;.....l7/70 of variable wid{h 2,9l3,760 l 1/1959 Engle, Jr. ..l7/70 3/1970 Kennedy ..;...l7/7(l '8 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUIJAIHO I915 3,713,188

SHEET 1 [1F 3 Inventor PATENTEDJAHO I915 3.713.188

SHEET 2 IF 3 i FISH FILLETING AND SKINNING BOARDS A compact, folding, portable fish filleting and skinning board, here-in-after called the board" or Board, with means of affixing fish of any length at two or more points in such a manner as to stablize the carcass against angular and/or upward pull from any point in removing the fillet from the carcass and a variable means of firmly affixing the board, itself, to a variety of work surfaces where it will be used, such as kitchen drainboards, ground at camp site or varying sizes of laundry tubs. My board also provides a means of holding the fish while removing the entrails and a means of skinning the fillets. Means are provided to internally store required equipment such as knife, Whetstone, boning plier, etc. These features have not been provided by structures shown in prior art or in products marketed but not patented.

The above objectives, together with other objectives that will subsequently become apparent, reside in the details of construction and use as here-in-after more fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, where in like numerals refer to like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 Shows the board closed as for transporting or storage.

FIG. 2 Shows the board in use with a fish impaled with the skewers, the spikes in position to spike into the ground at camp site or lock onto laundry tubs of varying sizes.

FIG. 3 Shows a handle-end view with spikes turned to stored position.

FIG. 4 Shows the board attached by suction cups to a kitchen drainboard with solid support points in contact with the drainboard.

FIG. 5 Is a top plan view indicating sections shown in later views.

FIG. 6 Shows the latch detail engaged, as per section line in FIG. 3

FIG. 7 Shows the same latch detail, disengaged.

FIG. 8 Shows a hinge with the decks approaching open, abutted position.

FIG. 9 Shows the hinge in open position with decks abutted; section FIG. 5.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 cooperatively show cross section details of spike guides and skewer holes as section lined in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 13 & 14 show details of one type of spring clip to hold equipment.

One method of construction, providing the lowest cost and the greatest facility in use, will use two, identical, selfmating plastic moldings or flanges as shown by in FIG. 1. Each molding will have half of a round handle 21, half of a set of hinges 22 unequally spaced so as to self-mate as here shown. Said hinges extend up to support the abutting deck ofa mating part and down to provide solid support on the drainboard when suction cups are fully set, as later described in greater deatil. An additional abuttment support, independent of the hinge members, is shown by 23, FIG. 1. A series of closely spaced holes 24 running the length of the board are tapered to receive the skewers 25 as in FIG. 2 and provide one means of securely affixing fish of varying lengths at two or more points on the flat, abutted decks 33 when open as in FIG. 2. Holes 26 provide for double-skewering the skin on the fillet for the skinning function as later described. Thus two such identical,

self-mating moldings may be assembled by inserting hinge pins 27 and when folded as shown in FIG. 1, provides internal compartments in which required equipment such as knife, Whetstone, boning plier, etc. may be clipped in place by spring members 38 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 and cross section referenced and illustratively positioned in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 2, it is now apparent that a fish of any length, up to the open length of the board, may be securely affixed at two or more points. In this example of construction, multiple choice means of affixing the fish is that the blade, only, of a knife of proper type extends over the board, thus it can be held flat against the flesh side of the skin, the full width of said skin, and sliced the length of the fillet removing all the flesh cleanly from the skin in a single, quick stoke.

FIG. 4 Shows the board with suction cups 29, three in each part as shown in FIG. 5, fully set in suction as on a drainboard 32. In this position the ends of the hinges 22, ends of spike guides 31 and the ends of latch 30 extend to limit solidly on the drainboard 32 at the compressed level of the suction cups 29, thus the board is solidly limited on the drainboard 32 instead of resil-- liantly limited as with suction cups 29 only.

FIG. 5 shown a general plan view with arrangement of details and cross-section notations as shown in later figures.

FIG. 6 Shows the latch member 30 engaged as when the board is closed as in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 shows the same latch members disengaged, ready to latch. With sharp spear points, it is obvious the points will deflectably bypass each other to latch as per FIG. 6 or, interchangeably, bypass to latch in the reverse to the position shown.

FIGS. 8 and 9 cooperatively show the hinge members, shown as 22 in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, and here shown in greater detail. These hinge members are designed to perform 4 separate functions. (1.) The pin 27 cooperatively with the holes thru which it fits form a pivot so the parts may be rotated from closed as in FIG. 1 to open as in FIGS. 2,4 and 5. (2.) The radius 42 at the lower end in FIGS 8 and 9 is coordinated with the. compressed level of the suction cups 29 to contact solidly I with the drainboard 32 in FIG. 4. (3.) The upper ends of the radii as shown by 40 and 41 provide deck abutment supports by cooperatively extending under the decks of the abutted parts to force the dead-level abutment of the decks 33. (4.) In like manner, the radii 42 at the lower end, additionally to functioning as described under (2.), serve to fixedly align the end walls 34 when closed as in FIG. 1. Thus, when in open position as in FIG. 9 the hinge pins 27 serve only as leverage points to keep the parts from separating horizontally; vertical displacement thrusts applied to the decks 33 are absorbed by the abutment supports 23, 40 and 41. The strength of each abutted part is transferred to the deck of its abutted mate thru the abutment supports 23, 40 and 41. The additional abutment support 23 as shown in'FIG. 1 is independent of the hinge and forcibly aligns the decks 33 at the center. FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 cooperatively detail both spike guides and skewer hole arrangements. In Fig. is shown a cross section of a spike 28 which is suitably guided by ribs 31, 35 and 36; a means of locking against at least an outward pull is provided by spring latch 37. Such guiding and locking means could vary widely in structure vwhile retaining the basic principles as described. Guide members 31 and/or 36 are extended downward to providesolid support on the drainboard 32 as shown in FIG. 4. Obviously said guide members are duplicated on opposite sides and extensions must be misaligned, one with the other, to bypass each other when the parts are reversibly mated in closed position as in FIG. 1; in such closed position, an additional function is provided in forcing exact alignment of the mated parts, similar to the function of the abutment supports 23, 40 and 41 in aligning'the decks 33. The skewer holes 24- obviouslymay be of any configuration, but tapered holes are preferred because said tapered holes will lock theskewers 25 securely. Skewers 25 should be taper-fitted in holes 24. FIGS. 13 and 14 cooperatively show one type of spring clip which may be used in suitably arrangement at several points in the ribbed interior to hold required equipment such as knife, etc.. One such point is illustrated in FIG. 5 as cross section 13.

It is now obvious that two flat parts could be abuttably joined with extended abutment supports, as hereprovided, having separable latching means to engage when the planes are angularly opposed at less than 180 degrees and to lock and function in identical manner as provided by the hinge pins 27 when the two parts become a common plane. One such separable means could be provided by slotting the hinge pin holes in one part only as indicated by the dotted lines 39 in FIGS. 8 and 9, the hinge pins being fixed in the mating part. Thus the parts could be separably engaged or disengaged in a position similar to FIG. 8 but would be locked when in flat position as in FIG. 9 or when closed, as in FIG. 1.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is: I

-l. A portable fish dressing board comprising at least two matable sections, said sections providing a working surface on which fish may be supported, adjustable means on said working surface for securing a fish at two or more points thereon, one or more means on the opposite surface for securing said board to one or more types of support surfaces, said matable sections being articulately joined to permit the sections to be foldedof various tools.

4. The board as defined in claim 1, wherein there is provided at each of said opposite ends a plurality of storable, adjustable securing means, whereby the board may be secured to the edges of an open container.

5. The board as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said securing means comprises a plurality of L-shaped spikes, one end of which adjustably and slidably engages the board, locking means on the board to secure said one end, the other end of which is provided with a penetrated surface orhooked over a container edge.

6. The board as defined in claim 1, wherein said ad.- justable securing means includes a series of closely spaced holes extending lengthwise of said board whereby pointed skewers maybe inserted thru the fish and into the hole to securely position the fish on said board.

7. The board as defined in claim 1, wherein extensions are provided on said opposite surface of said board sectionsand said securing means on said op-' posite surfaces includes a plurality of suction cups so positioned that when the sections are mated the cups are misaligned and when said sections are in operative position the suction cups cooperate cooperate with said I extensions to provide a stable surface.

8. The board as defined inclaim 1, wherein said articulate means includes extensionsthat mutually support the mating parts. 

1. A portable fish dressing board comprising at least two matable sections, said sections providing a working surface on which fish may be supported, adjustable means on said working surface for securing a fish at two or more points thereon, one or more means on the opposite surface for securing said board to one or more types of support surfaces, said matable sections being articulately joined to permit the sections to be folded upon each other whereby fish of variable sizes may be secured to the working surface for butchering operations and the board may be compactly folded and stored when not in use.
 1. A portable fish dressing board comprising at least two matable sections, said sections providing a working surface on which fish may be supported, adjustable means on said working surface for securing a fish at two or more points thereon, one or more means on the opposite surface for securing said board to one or more types of support surfaces, said matable sections being articulately joined to permit the sections to be folded upon each other whereby fish of variable sizes may be secured to the working surface for butchering operations and the board may be compactly folded and stored when not in use.
 2. The board as claimed in claim 1, wherein a handle portion is provided on each section at the ends opposite the articulate portion, the handles mating to form a convenient carrying means for the folded board.
 3. The board as defined in claim 1, wherein the sections are provided with mating flanges which when the sections are folded provide a compartment for storage of various tools.
 4. The board as defined in claim 1, wherein there is provided at each of said opposite ends a plurality of storable, adjustable securing means, whereby the board may be secured to the edges of an open container.
 5. The board as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said securing means comprises a plurality of L-shaped spikes, one end of which adjustably and slidably engages the board, locking means on the board to secure said one end, the other end of which is provided with a pointed end whereby the board may be secured to a penetrated surface or hooked over a container edge.
 6. The board as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable securing means includes a series of closely spaced holes extending lengthwise of said board whereby pointed skewers may be inserted thru the fish and into the hole to securely position the fish on said board.
 7. The Board as defined in claim 1, wherein extensions are provided on said opposite surface of said board sections and said securing means on said opposite surfaces includes a plurality of suction cups so positioned that when the sections are mated the cups are misaligned and when said sections are in operative position the suction cups cooperate cooperate with said extensions to provide a stable surface. 